Popeyes UK has secured a £43 million loan from Barclays Corporate Banking to support the opening of 45 new locations across the country this year.
Since its UK debut in Stratford, London, in November 2021, the Louisiana-style fried chicken chain has expanded to over 80 restaurants nationwide. Nearly half of these opened in 2024, following a controlling investment in the UK arm of the business by private equity firm TDR Capital.
TDR, the investor behind Stonegate Pub Company and PizzaExpress, committed £50 million to Popeyes in 2023 and boosted its stake to gain effective control from co-investor Ring International Holdings, which now holds a minority share.
With added backing from Barclays, the chicken chain is now set to double its presence across the UK.
In April, Popeyes entered into a strategic partnership with SSP Group, paving the way for the brand to launch in major travel hubs—beginning with Birmingham Airport.
Drew Taylor, chief financial officer at Popeyes UK, said: “Barclays are a highly supportive banking partner of Popeyes in the UK. The new finance facilities will enable us to build on our successful growth in the UK to date and execute our expansion strategy over the coming years, with more than 45 openings targeted in 2025 alone.”
Rich Robinson, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays UK corporate banking, said: “We are proud to have worked with Popeyes on this new lending deal, and look forward to helping them realise their exciting plans. We are committed to helping businesses across the UK invest for growth, and recently announced a £22b Business Prosperity Fund to help clients of all sizes achieve their full potential.”
Popeyes UK holds the master franchise for the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brand in the UK. Originally founded in New Orleans in 1972, the brand has expanded to over 4,000 restaurants worldwide.
